Davis board delays action on religion policy revision

The Davis Board of Education has postponed action on a religion policy revision that would bar LDS missionaries from wearing name tags as school volunteers.

"There really wasn't any rush for it," school board president Barbara Smith said Friday. The school board was expected to take action Tuesday.Missionaries have not been volunteering in Davis schools since February.

Don LeFevre, spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in recent weeks said that church missionary policy mandates volunteer projects be on a short-term basis only. Ongoing student tutoring in classrooms does not qualify as such.

The proposed policy will be looked at more carefully due to differing opinions on its challengability, Smith said. Doug Bates, state director of school law and legislation, has said the proposal legally falls in the gray.

The proposal would require school volunteers to wear district-approved name tags and be addressed by non-religious courtesy titles. Volunteers could not wear items showing their affiliation with a religious organization, such as clergy collars or missionary name tags.

Crucifixes, yarmulkes, CTR ("Choose The Right") rings worn by members of the LDS Church and other personal religious expressions could be worn.

The issue arose earlier this year from parent concerns that LDS missionaries volunteering in a handful of Davis schools were proselyting to students.